By Phil Zimmerman
Reporting from San Francisco

"So what are you having for breakfast this evening?" asked the waiter, while pouring Sauvignon Blanc into tiny white ceramic cups typically used for hot tea.

As I reviewed the menu, I could feel the stranger next to me at the communal table leaning over my left shoulder.

"You should really try the Burmese fish stew," said the woman with bright bleached blond and pink hair. "It's absolutely to die for."

Welcome to one of the latest quirky restaurants to hit the dining scene in San Francisco, a city known for its culinary excellence and a style all its own. Of course, you can always visit the usual spots such as the Slanted Door. But why not try something beyond shaking beef? Might we suggest a renegade restaurant that serves gourmet street food, a high-end romantic eatery that plays foreign films or dining in pitch darkness and served by a blind wait staff?